Finally, what Sharilyn Stalling has been telling people for years has been proven!
See this email and the attached PDF.Effects of Neonics on Bees
Dear all,
Breaking News!
Henk Tennekes has just sent through this vitally important report from the
Directorate General Policy unit of the European Parliament.
DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES
>POLICY DEPARTMENT A: ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC POLICY
>
>"Existing Scientific Evidence of the Effects of Neonicotinoid
>Pesticides on Bees"
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
>>
>>KEY FINDINGS
>>1. Although bee declines can be attributed to multifarious
>>causes, the use of
>>neonicotinoids is increasingly held responsible for recent
>>honeybee losses.
>>
>> 2. Neonicotinoids show high acute toxicity to honeybees.
>>
>>3. Chronic exposure of honeybees to sub-lethal doses of
>>neonicotinoids can also
>>result in serious effects, which include a wide range of
>>behavioural disturbances in
>>bees, such as problems with flying and navigation, impaired memory
>>and learning,
>>reduced foraging ability, as well as reduction in breeding success
>>and disease
>>resistance.
>>
>> 4. Recent scientific findings are urging to reassess the bee
>>safety of approved uses of
>>neonicotinoid insecticides at European level. A current review,
>>carried out by the
>>European Food Safety Authority EFSA (on behalf of the European
>>Commission) will
>>give new insights into this issue.
>>
>> As long as there are uncertainties concerning the effects of
>>neonicotinoids on honey
>>bees,the Precautionary Principle in accordance withwith the
>>Regulation (EC) No
>>1107/2009should be applied when using neonicotinoids.
>>
It is a summary of what the EU experts and Reporter States regard as 'the
state of the evidence' on neonicotinoids and honeybee/ wild bee deaths.
It appears to overwhelmingly support the position that Imidacloprid,
Clothianidin and Thiamethoxam are directly responsible for the mass-death
of bee colonies in Europe and the UK.
It recommends that - since the evidence is so strong - that the European
Commission shoiuld apply thePrecautionary Principle and ban or
suspend the use of these systemic pesticides.
This does not mean of course that the European Commission will act
immediately on this recommendation but it suggests that a decision will be
made by the end of December 2012.
This is fantastic news - hope it transforms into regulatory action before
the next planting season.
Please read the attached document carefully and distribute to relevant
networks
Regards
Graham White
Beekeeper
Scotland, UK.